Switch.



S. N. JORDAN.

SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED 11111.23, 1914.

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SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 23, 1914.

Patented Feb. 9, 1915.

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S. N. JORDAN.

SWITCH.

urmonmn FILED MAR. 23, 1914.

1,127,631. Patented Feb. 9, 1915.

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SETH N. JORDAN, OF LOV ELL, MASSACHUSETTS.

SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 9, 1915.

Appiication filed March 23, 1914. Serial No. 826,693.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SETH N. JORDAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lowell, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switches; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention primarily relates to electrical circuit controllers but more especially to the class of the latter which are of the double-throw oil type; and it has special reference to such devices as are especially applicable to electric elevators and adapted for effecting suitable circuit connections for starting and operating electric motors of the induction type.

In starting devices of this character it 13 found to be highly undesirable to have the controller move directly from off to running position, or to remain indefinitely in a starting position; and it is therefore one of the objects of this invention to provide a double throw oil switch having means to prevent the controller from being moved to a running without first being brought to a starting position, also one having means which will automatically return the controller from starting to off position making it impossible to leave the controller in a starting position.

A further object of my invention is to provide a switch of the class above indicated, which is simple, easy to construct; its parts readily accessible, and having all charged parts immersed in oil to eliminate any possibility of short circuit.

A still further object is to provide a switch which shall act as a circuit interrupter under predetermined conditions when the controller occupies a running position.

With these and other objects in view my invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combination and arrangement of parts which will be more particularly pointed out and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings in which similar reference numerals ind'cate corresponding parts. Figure 1 is a front eleation of my impro ed switch illustrating the latter properlv positioned and secured to a suitable support which is shown in. section;

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a similar view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a transverse horizontal section taken on the line l4 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a similar view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 2 Fig. 6 is a similar view taken on the line 66 of Fig. 2; Fig. 7 is a front elevation of the movable contact member; Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the movable contact, the latter being partly in section; Fig. 9 is a transverse \ertical section taken on the line 9 9 of Fig. 2; and, Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic illustration of the electrical connections.

My invention in its present exemplifies.- tion comprises a substantially rectangular casing 1, consisting of the back and side walls 2 and 3, disposed at right angles to each other and suitably fastened at their meeting edges. lhese walls are of equal width but unequal length, the wall 3 being about three fourths the length of wall 2. Securely fastened to the rear and side wails 2 and 3 by bolts 4 are two equally spaced and horizontally disposed partitions 5 and 6 the length and breadth of the latter being substantially equal to that of the two walls and 3. Said partitions are composed of any suitable material preferably soapstone. The partition 6 in effect forms the bottom ofthe casing, while partition 5, divides the same into upper and lower compartments 7 and 7 for a purpose to be hereinafter explained. A substantially U-shaped bracket 15 projects outwardly in a vertical plane from the wall 2 to which it is fastened, one leg of said bracket extend'ng below the pirtition 5 to support the same and the other projecting above partition 6, to which it is fastened by the bolt 16, passing therethrough and into said partition, said bracket the eby forming an auxiliary reinforcement for the two partitions. Removably fastened to the outer edges of partitions 5 and 6 is an angular cover having two sections 8 and 8' disposed at right angles, which it will te apparent form the other two sides of the easing. Sight openings 9 are formed in the upper portion of each of said sections to expose the interior of compartment 7. These openings 9 are closed bv the glass closures 10 as will be seen by referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

Section 8 of the cover also contains adjacent the opening 9 two longitudinally ex lOO tending openings 11 and 12 whose function will be referred to later. Contiguous to the upper and loner edges of wall 2, are the bolt receiving openings 13, to receive suitable fastening devices whereby the casing can properly be secured to any desired support. A detachable cap 14 held in position by the screws 14, closes the upper end of the casing as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

Depending from the partition (3, to which it is suitably secured, is a vertically disposed trans\ersely extending contact sup port 17, formed of nonconducting material and provided with three equally spaced rows of transversely extending openings 18, each of which latter are suitably spaced as shown in Fig. 3. Passing through the openings 18 are a series of terminals. The upper and lower rows of said terminals 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, at their inner ends are formed with the inwardly projecting extensions 28, the latter having their free ends offset and cup-shaped as at 29, for a purpose to hereinafter appear; while the terminals of the middle row, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34 and 35 at their inner ends carry ordinary contact blocks 36. The outer ends of said terminals are threaded and provided with the usual gasket and nut 37, to receive and retain the ends of the various conductors. Also dependent from the partition 6, adjacent the wall 2, is a bearing support, in the form of a block 38, whose upper end projects through an opening in the partition t3, and whose lower end is bifurcated and provided with a bearing pin 39. Contiguous to the upper end of block 38 are two oppositely disposed offset pieces 38 and passing therethrough are two fastening screws 40, which retain said bearing support in its depending position.

Pivotally mounted on the bearing pin 39 is a lever 41 having a right angular extension 41 provided with a segmental shoe 42, composed of suitable insulating material. Transversely arranged on the convex faces of the shoe 42 are a plurality of equally spaced contact plates 43 whose opposite ends are bent inwardly at right angles so to snugly fit within the cup-shaped ends 29 of the contacts 28 when the shoe is moved nto either starting or running position. The opposite end of lever 41 is bifurcated to receive the pin 44 which passes through the bifurcated lower end of rod 45, extending vertically through suitable openings in the partitions 5 and 6. and projecting into the upper com artment 7.

To actuate the rod 45. and thereby move the shoe 42 to the des ed contacts. I provide an ope at ng hand e 46 which is pivotallv moun ed on all 2 n com artment 7. one end of sa d h ndle is b furcated and engages the late ally projecting roller 47 on rod 45. The other end is reduced and extends through slot 11 to provide a hand grip 46.

To normally retain the contact plates of shoe 42 in contact with the contact block 36, or in other words, in off position, a helical spring 48 encircling rod 45 is interposed between partitions 5 and 6. A centrally arranged laterally projecting stud 49 on rod 45 engages the spring it? making the same double acting so that the tendency of rod 45 and lever 41 will be to immediately return to normal or off position. The upper end of rod 45 is beveled as at 50 and provided with a notch 51 adapted to be engaged by a finger 52 pivotally mounted on a stud 53, which latter projects inwardly from the rear wall 2. The finger 52 which is horizontally disposed in the path of said rod 45, is provided with an angular exten- $1011 55 projecting downwardly and engaging the laterally extending stud 56 carried by the pivoted releasing lever 57, a spring 57 secured to Wall 2 beneath said extension bears against the latter and normally retains said finger 52 in a horizontal position. and the angular extension 55 in engagement with said stud 56. Said lever 57 is pivot-ally mounted on the bearing pin 58 and has its inner end enlarged to perform the function of a counterweight and gradually restore said lever to its normal horizontal position after the same has been pushed downwardly. The outer end of lever 57 projects through the slot 12 in the side of the easing, and is formed with a hand grip 59. A guide 59' secured to the wall 2 adjacent the slot 11 incloses the lever 46 and guides the same.

A dash pot 61 cushioning the downward thrust of lever 57 is fastened beneath the forward portion of the latter and is connect ed therewith by the loosely mounted link 61'. Stop 62 disposed contiguous to the enlarged end of lever 57 limits its downward movement and normally maintains said lever in a horizontal position. Hence, if rod 45 is moved upwardly notch 51 will be engaged by the spring actuated finger 52 locking the rod in elevated position and holding the shoe 42 in a running position, that is abridge the intermediate and bottom rows of said contacts. Also it will be seen that if lever 57 is moved downwardly the stud 56 hearing against the lower end of extension 55 will actuate the latter causing the finger to swing upwardlv and out of engagement with notch 51, thereby releasing rod 45 and allowing spring 48 to return the same to its normal position.

In order to prevent shoe 42 from being brought to a running position before it is first brought to starting. a lever 63 is pivoted on the pin 64. dis osed immediately above the operating handle 46. Said level has its outer end beveled and formed with a shoulder adapted to engage lug 65 on the inner side of handle 16 when the latter is in a horizontal position. As the lever 63 is nearly in balance by reason of its enlarged inner end acting as a counterweight as well as the arrangement of its pivot, the downward movement of its beveled end which is slightly heavier is exceedingly slow, consequently it will be apparent that when handle 46 is moved upward to bring shoe 42 into starting position and said handle then quickly moved downward to place said shoe in running position, the slow movement of the lever will cause the latter to be left in elevated position from which it will slowly descend until the normal horizontal position of the handle 46 is reached at which point its movement will be limited by the stop 62, the lever remaining in this position until engaged by the lug 65 on handle 45 when the latter is returned to its normal horizontal position. From the foregoing it is obvious that shoe 42 must be first moved to a starting position then quickly brought to running position and any reversal of this order of things is impossible because the lever 45 is positively locked in a horizontal position and cannot be moved downwardly so as to move the shoe directly from off to running position.

Vithin the lower compartment 7 are situated the three compensators 66 supported in spaced relation to the bottom and sides of the compartment by the clamps 67, which latter are held in binding engagement with the sides of said compensators by the bolt 68 passing through said clamps and having its threaded end screwed into the rear wall 2 of the casing. Inwardly projecting extensions formed on the inner sides of said clamp separate each of said compensators. To decrease the strain on the bolt 68, one of the clamps 67 is provided with supporting legs the lower ends of which are bent outwardly as at 69 and clamped to the partition 5 as clearly shown in Fig. 6. These compensators 66 are in circuit with a three phase generator A and induction motor 13 through the upper and intermediate rows of contacts when the latter are bridged by the contact plates of shoe 42, said generator and D10- tor being shown diagrammatically in Fig. 10. The conductors 70 and 71 from generator A and motor B enter the side wall 3 of the casing and terminate in terminal box T2 which is longitudinally disposed on the partition 5, in the upper compartment 7. Terminal box 72 contains six terminals which receive the conductors from the generator and motor as well as conductors 73 from the said stationary contacts hereinbefore mentioned.

In addition to the manual release of finger 53, I provide a means to automatically operate the same when the current value exceeds a predetermined amount. This automatic release comprises two overload trip magnets 74 secured above the lever 57 and included in two phases of the generator A and motor B when the shoe 42 is in a running position. These relays carry movable cores 75 the lower ends of which bear against release lever 57. Said cores are counterbalanced by the weights or riders 76 slidably mounted on the pivoted levers 77, whose inner ends connect with the upper ends of said cores 75. By adjusting the riders 76 along the levers 77, cores 75 can be so balanced as to only be affected when the current in either phase exceeds a predetermined amount. To avoid any possibility of short circuits the charged parts of my switch are immersed in oil contained in the casing 78, which is secured by suitable fastenings to the bottom of partition 6, as shown in Fig. 2.

The circuit connections for and the operation of my improved switch may be traced and understood by reference to Fig. 10 of the drawings. Assuming the lever 41 to be in a horizontal position with the contact plates 43 on shoe 42 in contact with the intermediate row of contacts 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, when the handle 46 is pushed upwardly shoe 42 is moved in the same direction and the plates thereon are brought into engagement with the upper row of contacts, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 and 24, said upper and central row of contacts are bridged by the plates 43 and current is supplied from the generator A through conductors a, 7), 0. terminals 79, 80, 81, contacts 31, 33, bridging plates 43, contacts 20, and 24, conductors 87), 86 and 87 to the compensators 66. From the compensators 66 the secondary flows through conductors 88, 89 and 90, contacts 19, 21 and 23, bridging plates 43, contacts 30, 32, 34, motor terminals 91, 92, 93 to the motor 13. After the compensators have been thrown in as just described lever 46 is quickly moved downward, shifting the contact plates 43 to running poi tion, that is in contact with the lower row of contacts 25, 26 and 27 in which position they are locked by the finger as hereinbefore described. After the shoe 42 has been moved to running position the compensators are cut out of the circuit, the motor terminals 91, 92 and 93 are connec ed direct t) the generator terminals 79, 80 and 8]. through contacts 30, 3.2, 34, bridging plates 43, contacts 25, 26 and 27, conductors 94, and 96, including overload trip magnets 74.

Magnets 74 it will be noticed are only in circuit during the time that the shoe 42 is in running position so that on the occurrence of an excess current the magnets will operate and immediately shift the aforesaid shoe to off position thereby automatically protecting the motor from overload under running conditionsv As a limitation on the upward movement of the rod when shoe 42 &

is shifted thereby a block 9? is longitudinally disposed on the side wall 3 adjacent the upper edge thereof which co-acts with lug 98 on the upper end of rod 45. A guide roller 99 projects from the inner side of the rear wall 2 of the casing and serves as a supplemental guide for the aforesaid rod 45.

From the foregoing it will be seen I have provided a switch the parts of which are readily accessible; one which will positively prevent the movable contact member thereof being brought directly from an off to a running position as well as auton'iatically break the circuit on the occurrence of an excess amount of current, when the movable contact is in running position.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a double throw switch, the combination of a plurality of stationary contacts, a movable c. ntact cooperating therewith and movable to starting, otf, and running positions. a vertically extending rod connected with said movable member, means to actuate said rod, a latch cooperating with said rod to lock said member in running position, means to release said latch and means coacting with the first mentioned means to prevent said movable member from being initially brought to running position.

2. In a double throw switch, the combination of a plurality of stationary contacts, a movable contact cooperating therewith and movable to starting, off, and running posi' tions, a vertically extending rod connected with said movable member, means to actuate said rod, a double acting spring carried by the latter to normally maintain said movable member in off position, a latch co-acting with said rod to lock said member in running position, means to release said latch. and means co-acting with the first mentioned means to prevent said movable member from being initially lt rought to running position.

3. In a double throw switch, the combinaticn of a plurality of stationary contacts, a movable contact cooperating therewith and movable to starting, oil, and running positions, a vertically extending rod connected at one end with said movable member and having a nctch in the opposite end thereof, means to actuate said rod, means to normally maintain said movable member in an off positint. a siring actuated latch to engage the notch in said rod to lock said member in running position. means to release said latch and means co-acting with the first mentioned means to prevent said movable member from being initially brought to a starting position.

4. In a double throw switch, the combination of a plurality of stationary contacts. a movable contact cooperating therewith and movable to start ng. off. and running positions, a vertically extending rod connected at one end with said movable member and having a notch in the opposite end thereof, means to actuate said rcd, means to normally maintain said movable member in an otf position, a spring actuated finger to engage said nctch, an extension formed on said finger, means to engage said extension to actuate said finger and release the latter, and means co-acting with the first mentioned means to prevent said movable member from being initially brought to a running position.

5. In a double throw switch. the combination of a plurality of stationary contacts. a movable contact cooperating therewith and movable to starting, off, and running positions, a vertically extending rod connected at one end with said movable member and having a notch in the opposite end thereof, means to actuate said rod, :1 double acting spring carried by said rod to normally main tain said memlzer in off prsiti n, a spring actuated latch to engage the nctch in said rod to lock said member in running position, means to release said latch. and means coaeting with the first mentioned means to prevent said movable member frcm being initially brought to a starting position.

6. In a double throw switch, the combination of a plurality of stationary contacts, a movable ecntact cooperating therewith and movable to starting, oil', and running p si ticns, a vertically extending rod connected at one end with said movable member and having a notch in the opposite end thereof, means to actuate said rod, a double acting spring carried by said rod to normally maintain said member in off position. a spring actuated finger to engage said notch. an extension formed cn said finger. a pivcted releasing lever, a lug carried by the latter to engage said extension and re case said fin-' ger, and means eo-acting with the first menticned means to prevent said movable mem her from being initially brought to a running position.

7. In a dcuble throw switch. the c mbination of a plurality of stationary contacts. a movable contact coiiiierating therewith. and mo able to starting, off, and running positicns, a vertically extending rod connected at cne end with said movable mem ier and having a notch in the opposite end thereof, means to actuate said rod. a spring 2 ctuated finger to engage said notch. an extension foimed on said finger, a pivoted releasing lever, a counter-weight at one end thereof, a aterally projecting lug on said lever to engage said extensicn and release said finger. and means co-acting with the first mentioned means to prevent said movable member frcm being initially brought to a running position.

8. In a double throw switch. the c mbination of upper, lower and intermediate rows of stationary contacts, a movable contact cooperating therewith, means to bridge said movable member between two rows of said contacts, means to normally maintain said member in contact with the intermediate row of said stationary contacts, a latch to lock said member abridge the intermediate and lower rows of said contacts, means to release said latch and means cooperating with the first means to prevent said movable member from being initially bridged between the intern'iediate and low rows of said stati nary contacts.

9. In a double throw switch, the combination of a plurality of stationary contacts. a. movable contact coiiperating therewith, and movable to starting, off, and running positions, a vertically extend ng rod connected with said movable member, a pivotally mounted handle to actuate said rod, means to normally maintain said member in off position. a latch co-acting with said rod to lock said member in running position, means to release said latch and a slowly moving lever disposed above and co-acting with said handle to prevent said movable member from being initially brought to running position.

10. In a double throw switch, the combination with a casing having a bottom, of a transversely arranged terminal support depending therefrom, upper, lower and intermediate rows of terminals carried thereby, contacts connected with said terminals and proiecting rearwardly from the support. a bearing member disposed adjacent to said support and depending from the bottom of said casing. a shoe supporting member pivoted in said bearing. a segmental shaped shoe formed on one end of said shoe supporting member, a series of equally spaced plates arranged transversely thereon, and in alinement with said contacts. a rod connected with the opposite end of said shoe sup porting member, means to actuate said rod and bring the shoe and plates carried thereby between and in contact with two of the rows of said contacts and an oil receptacle secured to the bottom of said casing and inclosing the stationary and movable contacts secured thereto.

11. In a double throw switch, the combination of a plurality of stationary contacts, a movable contact coi'iperating therewith and movable to starting, oil', and running positions, a vertically extending rod connected at one end with said movable member and having a notch in the opposite end thereof, means to actuate said rod, a spring actuated finger to engage said notch, an extension formed on said finger, a pivoted releasing lever, a counter weight at one end thereof, a laterally projecting lug on said lever to engage said extension and release said finger, magnetic trips disposed above said releasing lever and co-acting therewith under overload conditions to actuate said lever and release said finger and means coacting with the first mentioned means to prevent said movable member from being initially brought to a running position.

12. In a double throw switch, the combination of a plurality of stationary contacts, a movable contact cooperating therewith and movable to starting, off, and running positions, a vertically extending rod connected at one end with said movable member and having a notch in the opposite end thereof, means to actuate said rod, a spring actuated finger to engage said notch, an extension formed on said finger, a pivoted releasing lever, a counter-weight at one end thereof, a laterally projecting lug on said lever to engage said extension and release said finger, electro-magnets disposed above said releasing lever, a movable core in said magnets, said core co-acting with said releasing lever under overload conditions to actuate the lever and release said finger and means c0- acting with the first mentioned means to prevent said movable member from being initially brought to running position.

13. In a double throw switch, the combination of a plurality of stationary contacts, a movable contact cooperating therewith and movable to starting, off, and running positions, a pivotally mounted handle, a connecting element between said handle and movable member to actuate the latter, means to normally maintain said member in off position, and a slowly moving lever disposed above and co-acting with said handle to prevent said movable member from being initially brought to running position.

14. In a double throw switch, the combination of a plurality of stationary contacts. a movable contact cooperating therewith and movable to starting, off, and running positions, a pivotally mounted handle. a connecting element between said handle and said movable member to actuate the latter. a latch co-acting with said connecting element to lock said member in running position, means to receive said latch, and a slowly moving lever disposed above and co-acting with said handle to prevent said movable member from being initially brought to running position.

15. In a double throw switch. the combination of a plurality of stationary contacts, a movable contact cooperating therewith, and movable to starting, off, and running positions, a pivotally mounted handle, a connecting element between said handle and said movable member to actuate the latter, a counter-weighted lever pivoted intermediate its ends above said handle and adapted to co-act With the latter and prevent said movable member from being initially brought to running position.

1 6. In a double throw switch, the combination of a plurality of stationary contacts,

a movable contact cooperating therewith, and movable to starting, off, and running positions, a pivotally mounted handle. a connecting element between said handle and said movable member to actuate the latter, a laterally projecting stud formed on said handle, a lever pivotally mounted above said handle, said lever having a counterweight at one end thereof and a notch in its opposite end for cooperation with the stud on said handle to prevent said movable member from being initially brought to running position, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

17. In a double throw switch, the combination of a plurality of stationary contacts, a movable contact cooperating therewith and movable to starting, off, and running positions, a pivotally mounted handle, the latter being formed with a laterally projecting stud, a connect ng element between said handle and movable member for actuation by the latter, a latch co-acting with said connecting element to lock said member in running position, means to release said latch, a counter-weighted lever disposed above said handle and having a notch formed therein for cooperation with the stud on said handle to prevent said movable member from being initially brought to running position, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

18. In a double throw switch, the combination of a plurality of stationary contacts, a movable contact cooperating therewith, and movable to starting, off, and running positions, of a pivotally mounted handle, the latter being formed with a laterally projecting stud, a connecting member between said handle and movable member for actuation of the latter, means to normally maintain said movable member in off position, and a counterweighted lever disposed above said handle and having a notch formed in one end thereof for cooperation with a laterally projecting stud on said handle to prevent said movable member from being initially brought to running position.

19. In a double throw switch, the combination of a plurality of stationary contacts. a movable contact cooperat ng therewith, and movable to starting, off, and running positions, a pivotally mounted handle, the latter being formed with a laterally projecting stud, a connecting element between said handle and said movable member for actuation of the latter, means to normally maintain said movable member in off position, a latch co-acting with said connecting element to lock said member in running position, means to release said latch. and a counterweighted lever disposed above said handle and having a notch formed in one end thereof for cooperation with the stud on. said handle to prevent said movable member from being initially brought to a running position, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

SETH N. JORDAN.

WVitnesses:

CoRA A. McGAUNAss, FREDERIC B. LEEDS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each. by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

